Robotic surgical systems have been used in minimally invasive medical procedures. Some robotic surgical systems included a console supporting a surgical robotic arm and a surgical instrument, having at least one end effector (e.g., forceps or a grasping tool), mounted to the robotic arm. The robotic arm provided mechanical power to the surgical instrument for its operation and movement.
Robotic surgical systems supported surgical instruments that were configured to couple to a variety of types of end effectors by enabling these end effectors to be readily exchanged during a surgical procedure. Typically, this exchange of end effectors was performed by manually detaching the end effector from the remainder of the surgical instrument without detaching the instrument drive unit from the surgical instrument. This often meant that end effectors could be detached from the surgical instrument by a clinician inadvertently by hitting the wrong button or switch.
There is a need for interchanging end effectors on a surgical instrument while preventing inadvertent removal of the end effector from the surgical instrument during the end effector exchange process.